CONNECTICUT — The state is accepting proposals through December 10 for projects that control, study or prevent aquatic invasive species in inland lakes, ponds and rivers.
The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection opened the 2026–27 Aquatic Invasive Species Grant Program on October 20. Eligible applicants include municipalities, state agencies and nonprofit organizations, making the round directly relevant to communities and watershed groups dealing with invasive plants and other freshwater threats.
DEEP said dense invasive-plant growth can crowd out native species and interfere with boating, fishing and swimming. The agency pointed to northern hydrilla, first found in the Connecticut River in 2016, as an example. It said the plant has spread downstream from Agawam, Massachusetts, to within a few miles of Long Island Sound and has also reached 12 other waterbodies.
Hydrilla can spread through fragments carried by currents, boats and wildlife. Once established, DEEP said, control can require years of treatment and annual costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The agency urged boaters to remove vegetation, drain water and let boats and equipment dry before launching elsewhere.
The General Assembly created dedicated program funding in 2019 through the aquatic-invasive-species stamp. DEEP reported awarding about $2.4 million to 80 projects during the program’s first six years. In the 2025–26 cycle, applicants requested nearly $1.4 million across 33 proposals; the department awarded $450,000 to 10 projects.
Connecticut residents and nonresidents operating vessels on inland waters must obtain either a $7 individual stamp or a $20 vessel decal under the rules described by DEEP. Those fees help finance the competitive grants. This report does not imply that every applicant will receive funding or that any specific Eastern Connecticut project has already been selected.
Applicants should use DEEP’s grant page for eligibility, application requirements and submission instructions. The December 10 deadline applies to this announced grant cycle, not to a public hearing or a confirmed award.